The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-10-07
The Egis & Intelligencer
Bel Air, Md, October Z. 1887.
DEER CREEK FARMERS CLUE.
Saving and Selection OF seeds.

Saving and Selection OF Seeds.
The Deer Creek Farmers Club met last sarur-
day. at the house OF Mr.. Y. W. Baker. in Bel Air
and talked about the saving and selection OF
held and garden seeds. Mr James Lee was call
ed TO the chair.
Y. W. BAKER said that the question &C.
lected for discussion had grown out OF remark
at a previous meeting that wheat crop had been
lost, this year. from bsd seed. All the care be-
slowed In tue preparation OF the ground IS lost
II the seed is imperfect. Farmers should, as
much as possible save their own seeds particu-
larly their field seeds. Wheat is commonly sup
posed to retain Its terminating power for an in
definite period, and the story is told of wheat
5000 years old found in the hand OF an Egyp-
tion mummy, but this story Is now believed TO
be myth, IL having been ascertained that wheat
will preservedts vitality only from three to seven
years. In seed wheat only the largest and
pumpest grains should be selected. The seicc-
lion OF seed corn is, perhaps, OF more import
ance than IN choosing other kinds OF seed, on ac-
cunt of the value Of the crop and the fact
that corn may have lost its terminating power
without its being apparent to the eye. II
carefully selected in the fall and Kept IN dry
warm place the risk of planting IL in the spring
would be very small. II IL also important TO get
seeds of clover and timothy free from foreign
seeds. 1t is an easy matter to test the Rermlnat-
ing power Of seeds. Take box OK OF EARN, count
her that come up. The per centage OF imper-
feet seed n the lot can thus be readily estimated
and allowance made therefor in planting. The
saving of garden seeds is q tedious task ana as n
general rule. for the ordinary farmers garden
Il Is better to buy Wnat Is n coc ia'n e
etoble il would be well to take the trouble to
save seed from IL. - 49,
they could not too carefully screen their seed
wheat and were particular to "nuo their corn
at both ends. In his opinion, as llEe pr9luces
like one grain on perfect car or corn Is just as
likely as another to produce perfect ear so
with tomatoes. Seed from tomatoes of medium
size are as apt to produce large tomatoes as
those from the largest ones. In preparing seed
wheat all that is necessary IS 10 get all the
cookie, garlic and cheat out OF 1t. Ihe reason
frpp In
former years, Is because the most of the wheat
grown in Hartford county Is FuitZ, which has
sproutlug corn 10 ascertain whether it is fit TO
sow or not is a good one the greatest inposl.
tion Ia practiced upon farmers by the mixing OF
old seeds with fresh ones. 1t y said that timo-
thy seed can be tested by heating 1t in shovel.
Ileni. Silver Jr, spoke Of the import ne OF
sowing good seed. II will pay farmers to save
many kinds of seed, but others can be bought
with greater advantage He mad abandoned the
had six or seven bushels Of nubs and hts seed
running short he had shelled and sowed 1t and
raised as good corn as ron 0th , seed; re
probably deteriorate after the hrst season. lie
did not think there was any more risk in plant
ing small grains of wheat than large ones. Some
seeds require experience to save them properly
and those farmers should buy. Grass seeds. for
Instance. can be bought more proittably than
they can be saved by the farmer. lie had fol-
lowed the plan Of sprouting his seed corn to as
certain what per centage of It would come up.
ia
seed, but not so important 10 sprout wheat or
any plant that stools OUT.
Mrs NJ. Ice said that corn left exposed 10
free Zing and thawlng Is sometimes injured. II
may look fair and yet not have vitality enough
to sprout. Therefore 1t Is important 10 take
sample of your seed corn and sprout 1t. Imperfect
seed may grow under PARTICULARLY favorable
circumstances, but only perfect seed Will germi-
nate II all the conditions are not favorable.
Possibly wheat may grow better from n continu-
ed solecton OF good grain, but he had seen u good
crop produced from small, shrveled seed. 1t Is
important to have clean seed wheut. because
foreign seeds not only injuro the sale OF the
wheat but injure future crops. lie would save
some garden seeds but as rule IL is more ad-
yisable to buy them. The selection OF timothy
seed is especially important, because 1t may
look perfect when II has but little vitality Seeds
properly saved and kept preserve Their vitality
for n considerable period. He had saved turnip
seed which came UP MS readily after six or seven
years as when arst saved. Lima beans should
he kent in q cool, dry place. Indeet, oil seeds
should be kept in dry place aud seedsmen
eyen ldin-dry some kinds. Wheat kept over
should be famed in May or June.
He had known one failure Of wheat to terminate.
This was last year where two persons sowed
some OF the same wheat on different farms
and both failed. Mr.. spaldng saves most of his
garden seed from the earliest and best OF each
kind. ,, IT, IL,
seed is the same as with cattle and horses. A
scrub will produce scrub. II you plant infe-
rior seed you may expect an interior crop ne
prefers 10 screen both his seed corn and seed
wheat and plant only the heaviest and pumpest
grains He had noticed 10 tanning th0m that
large TO y be lighter n hos
left behind. He thought corn would not deter-
crate II properly selected every year, and in
stanced h well-known variety-the Stephenson
which has been planted successfully for p years.
Thomas Lochary thought farmers cannot af-
ford to SOW any but the best and cleanest seed
He had sowed wheat from the year before along
side of wheat raised the same year and found
that great deal of the old wheat did not come
up. He has garden seeds saved from the best
John Rogers said that sometimes an appar-
emily triiilng cause will destroy the vitality of
corn or wheat. Last year neighbor sowed
wheat and not one-third of It came up. The
stacks had taken water and he was not careful
TO separate the damp from the dry wheat. No
difference could be detected. Good seed will
stand more than most people Imagine. He had
known prime seed to lie 10 the ground Sur
weeks and then come up. He would not like to
risk planting the nubs of corn. II followed up
he should expect the result to be disastrous.
To keep the standard we should save the best
Geo. j. Finney said he had found that grains
from the small end of the ear produce the esrli-
healthy stalk you should plant good healthy
grain. There is risk In sowing timothy seed
that has been kept over. Wheat kept over a
year takes longer time to come up. Expert
enced potato growers say they, plant small pota-
toes one year and find they do as well as any,
buys BUY his sS garden seeds He judges Of ti@othy
seed by his eyesight. The cleaner aud brighter
the hull the less likely it Is to grow. Hcllkcs to
whether clover is good or not.
Otho s. Lee did not see why man who plants
small potatoes and raises large ones can't keep
Johns II. Janney said 1t was important not
only to have seed of good quality but Of good
varieties. and II is almost impossible to tell about
the variety unless you raise 1t yourself, Like
produces like and the grain from the tip to- the
middle of q good ear oil corn VIII produce good
ears. He is particular to fan his seed wheat, so
as to get large grains. Its exceedingly import
ant, in planting sugar corn for canning, to get
good seed and OF a good variety, as 50 much Of
We should get good seed from the North, plant
Ii and save our own seed.
John Moores agreed with The other members
a. to the importance of selecting seeds OF all
kinds. lie mad seen wheat grow under some cir
cumstances and the same wheat not grow unde.
other conditions. In 1877 some of his earlysow-
cd wheat came up poorly, the season being dry,
while that sowed later came up well. twas alt
out of the same granary, and was Il little musty.
In husking corn in the fall the finest largest cars
81 ould be selected for seed, and dried prompt
ly. Extreme cold weather may destroy the
germs but IL perfectly dry this is not likely to
occur. All garden seeds should be saved. il
possible, particularly cabbage seed, lettuce.
beans &C. When you raise them you l'now what
Othy and clover seed.
Dr. r. d. Lee said that as kind produces kind.
he should think II is best to plant seed that is
properly matured and saved under the most
favorable circumstances. Ii you propose to
change your seed 1t is better to get seed from the
same latitude and climate Some seed improve S
as It becomes acclmated. Red Mediterranean
wheat Is an instance of this kind. 1t had become
necessary to change our seed wheat. because the
fly was destroying our wheat. DIR. Lee asked
how pantan could be destroyed, and Mr. Finncy
said neghbor had plowcd IL down aud put his
field in corn.
James Lee said 1t is his custom to take or both
ends of the ears of corn intended for seed and
plant only the middle He screens pr fans his
seed wheat and gets the small grains out, planting
only the most perfect grains. He generally buys
garden seeds but saves some.
The committee on Roads asked for further
time, which was granted.
The resignation of the President, Mr.. VIM. +.
Hays was received and accepted.
Adjourned to meet at the residence of Mr. Jas
W. Hanna, October 10Th.